Manifolding



Dec. 15, 1936. A. A. JOHNSCDN MANIFOLDING Filed Sept. 5, 1931 4 Sheets-Shet 1 Dec. 15, 1936. A. A. JOHNSON MANIFOLDING Filed Sept. 5, 1 931 4 sheets-sheet 2 Dec. 15, 1936. A. A. JOHNSON MANIFOLDING Filed Sept. 3, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 1936. Y A, A. "JOHNSON MANIFOLDING Filed Sept. 5, 19:1

4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Dec. 15, 1936 UNITED STATE PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to manifolding, and more particularly, to a provision of a pile of continuous superposed record and interleaved transfer strips for use in typewriting machines and the like.

In practice in electrically operated typewriters and the like where a number of copies are to be made, it has been proposed before to provide superposed record strips having between them carbon or transfer strips running with the record strips, the record strips containing a succession of forms, usually printed, and between adjacent forms in a strip there is provided a designated tear-off point along which the strips may be severed into sheet or form lengths. I

In my copending application, Serial No. 332,063, filed January 12, 1929, I have disclosed means for facilitating the stripping of the carbon or transfer sheets from a severed set of superposed record and transfer sheets after the writing operations have been completed.

In one of the forms of the invention illustrated in said application, this is accomplished by having lines of perforations, which are'located between forms at the tear-ofi line, offset longitudinally in the record and transfer strips respectively, so that the record strips of a set project beyond the carbon strips at one end and the carbon strips project beyond the record strips at the other end to form finger grips. This requires that the lines of perforations in the record and transfer strips respectively be offset depthwise of the pile and in a direction longitudinally of the pile.

In the copending application of Carl W. Brenn,

Serial No. 528,528, filed April 8, 1931, provision is made for facilitating stripping of the carbons from the record sheets of a severed set by offsetting the transfer and record strips laterally in the pile. These offset and projecting portions constitute feeding bands by means of which the strips are advanced over the writing surface of the typewriter or like machine. In this form of manifolding pile also the carbon strips and record strips are offset in the pile. 1 The pile of strips so formed is usually folded zigzag fashion to constitute a dense pack or book, and when the strips are offset laterally in the pack the margins thereof are less dense than in the center portionone margin being constituted only by the transfer strips and the other margin being constituted only by the record strips.

An object of this invention is to provide a pile of manifolding strips inwhich the lateral edges of both the record strips and the carbon strips are initiallyv aligned so that the edges of the pack are just as dense as the partsbetween them and yet so adjusted and arranged that in the severed set of superposed record and trans-" fer sheets the transfer sheets will project beyond the record sheets on at least one margin while the record sheets will project beyond the transfer sheets on another margin.

Two embodiments of the present invention, both as to the article and as to the methods employed, are disclosed herein, but it should be understood that other embodiments and modificationsmay be made within the scope of this invention as defined in the appended claims.

In applying the present invention to the strip of my prior invention illustrated in my application, Serial No. 332,063, instead of having the lines of perforations in the carbon strips ofiset withrelation to the lines of perforations in the record strips While the strips are in folded or pack form, I place the lines of perforations in both kinds of strips in registry and fold the pile on the lines of perforations. Upon introducing the leading ends of the carbon and record strips respectively to the typewriting or like machine, however, the leading edges of one kind of stripsthe carbon strips for instance-are advanced be- 7 yond the leading edges of the record strips before or during the operation of engaging the strips with the feeding devices of the typewriter. As a result of advancing the leading edges of the strips of one kind, the lines of perforations in the strips of the two kinds between the typewriter and the pack become offset and this offset condition continues .to exist during the writing and feeding of the continuous strips. So that the strips may be shifted relatively I have omitted fastening the strips together in, any way and have provided for feeding the carbon strips and record strips for direct and positioned control by the feeding mechanism of the typewriter or like machine. The advancing of the carbon strips with relation to the worksheet strips makes the former taut and the latter slack in the free stretch of the pile which extends from the machine to the pack (which is usually supported on a tableor on the floor behind the machine), but the extent of offset is not sufficient to cause any permanent wrinkling of the slack strips.

To positively control the feed of both the record and carbon strips, I provide them both, in thisform of my invention, with pin wheel engaging apertures.

By having the lines of perforations in the record strips and in the transfer strips initially aligned and aligned in the pack, the folds between the forms may be more easily made, being on the lines of perforations in both kinds of strips. I

In the other embodiment of my invention, which, by the way, is considered preferable for most cases at present, the lateral edges of the record and carbon strips are also aligned and in registry while the strips are in pack form; but, after the typing operation and when severed from the remainder of the pile of strips, in the severed set superposed record and transfer sheets v are offset laterally, the offset portions constituting grips by means of which the carbon and record sheets may be separately grasped to draw them apart and separate them. This is accomplished by manually shifting the leading forms of the carbon and record strips laterally respectively when introducing them to the typewriter and by causing the paper feeding means to effect, and maintain this offset relation at the type riting machine and beyond, preferably as a result of the paper feedingoperations.

In this case it is preferable, as disclosed in the aforesaid application of Carl W. Brenn, Serial No. 528,528, to have the carbon strips at one side of the pile provided with feeding bands while the record strips at the other side of the pile are provided with feeding bands, and these feeding bands usually are provided each with a row of. apertures for engagement with pin wheels carried by the typewriter or like machine. In this form of my invention'also the record strips and transfer strips are not secured together against lateral movement and it is the freedom for lateral movement in the free stretch between the pack or book and the typewriting or like machine which is relied upon to permit the strips to shift laterally during their course of movement from the pack to the typewriter.

While I have disclosed, in the form of the invention just referred to, an arrangement wherein the carbon strips have feeding bands only at one side of the pack while the record strips have feeding bands only at the other side of the pack, it should be understood that this arrangement is not essential but merely preferable, for, as disclosed in my copending application, Serial No. 560,968, filed September 3, 1931, both kinds of strips may have at both lateral edges these feeding bands, or the feeding bands may be provided at only one side of the pack in both kinds of strips. In the broader aspects of this invention, it is quite immaterial-exactly how the feeding bands are located so long as the lateral edges of the strips, or at least one of them, are substantially aligned and in registry in the pack, but are offset in traveling to and through thetypewriter or other machine, so that on each kind of strips there are margins projecting beyond the adjacent margins of the other kind of strips to form finger grips to use in stripping the carbons -from the record sheets of a severed set.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a manifolding pack made in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view through a layer of the pack shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing how the two kinds of sheets are separately gripped to be stripped from each other in the form of the invention shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the pack shown in Fig. 1, typewriter platen and a stretch of strips from the pack-to the platen, showing how the carbon strips are offset laterally from the record sheets as they approach the platen and remain in offset relation after they leave the platen.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view of the typewriter platen and paper table showing the manner in which the superposed pile of strips is engaged and fed.-

Fig. 6 is a perspective view like Fig. 1, of another embodiment of this invention.

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view on a greatly exaggerated scale of one fold of the pile shown in Figs. 5 and 6, showing the lines of perforations in the-carbon strips and record strips aligned.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing a set of 1 sheets severed after having been fed through the typewriter, and indicating how the transfer sheets are stripped from the record sheets.

Fig. 9 is a plan view showing the pile illustrated in Fig. 6, modified by omitting the rows of pin-engaging apertures at one side of the pile.

Fig. 10 is a view like Fig. 4, but showing the embodiment of this invention shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

As shown in the accompanying drawings, the pile of manifolding strips may comprise record strips III with interleaved carbon strips II which are continuous in form and which are placed one above the other in superposed relation. For convenience in shipping and handling, this pile of strips is preferably zigzag folded to forma pad or block I2 as shown in Fig. 1,.from which the leading end may be lifted to be inserted in a typewriter or like machine.

The zigzag folding of the pile of strips III and I I is facilitated by transverse weakening lines I3, preferably perforations, in some or all of the strips and these further serve as lines of severance along which the pile of strips may be severed to form sets of interleaved record sheets Illa and carbon sheets Ila.

In cases where it was desired to use the pile of strips III and II in a telegraphic typewriter having pin wheel feeding devices for keeping the pile in strictcoordination with the platens of the sending and receiving machines, it was heretofore customary to provide the record strips III with lateral margins projecting beyond the adjacent edges of the carbon strips so as to constitute feeding bands having apertures for engaging pins I4 on the typewriter platen I5, see Figs. 4, 5 and 10.

Instead of providing the record strips I0 with lateral margins at both sides to form feeding bands, in the form of this invention shown in Figs. 1 to 5 and as disclosed in application of Carl W. Brenn, Serial No. 528,528, now Patent No. 1,821,905, granted September 1, 1931, they are provided at only one side with a feeding band I6 while the transfer strips I I at the other lateral edge of the pile of strips is provided with feeding bands I I. When the manifolding pile is to be employed with a telegraphic typewriter or other machine having pin wheel feeding devices, the feeding bands I6 and I! are each provided with apertures I9 extending in rows longitudinally thereof. These apertures substantially fit the feeding pins I 4, see Figs. 4 and 5.

In the Brenn application above referred to, the record strips I0 and the carbon strips II are initially offset laterally in the pile so that the feeding bands in each will project beyond the adjacent edges of the others. This is done to permit the pin wheels on the typewriter or like machine to engage the apertures in the feeding bands and also so that the record and transfer sheets Ia and Ila respectively may be separately gripped by their projecting lateral margins to be stripped from each other. The initially offset record and transfer strips are folded in zigzag fashion to form a pad or book I2 and since each kind of strips projects beyond the other at one lateral edge, there is a smaller number of strips at each lateral edge of the pad than in the center. The edges of the pad being therefore less dense were much more likely to be damaged or torn in shipping and in handling. Moreover, in being manu- -facturedit was necessary to provide suitable guiding means for ofisetting the strips and maintaining the offset relation. In the aforesaid Brenn application, the strips were maintained in this offset relation by staples passing through the superposed pile of strips and holding the superposed associated record and transfer strips together.

According to the present invention these things are not done. Instead, the strips are left unconnected and in their manufacture are brought together so that the lateral edges 20 and 2! of the record strips and transfer strips. respectively are aligned and in registry depthwise in the pack so that a solid pack is formed and ordinary guiding means may be used to control the strips in making the pack.

It is, however, desired for reasons stated above that the record and transfer strips be offset laterally when they reach the typewriter, and according to the present invention, this is accomplished by the operator who, after lifting a stretch 22 of strips from the pack I2 (see Fig. 4), shifts the record strips to one side and places them on the adjacent pins I4 on the platen and shifts the carbon strips to the other side and puts them'on the adjacent pins M on the platen. This will cause the free stretch 22 of strips from the typewriter table 32 to the pack l2 to have the carbon strips and record strips gradually project beyond the others as the strips rise to the typewriter table, as shown in Fig. 4. The portions of the strips on the platen, however, will be ofiset the desired amount and this offset relation will be maintained as the strips are advanced by reason of the fact that a plurality of the pins 14 are always in engagement with each feeding band for a suflicient- 1y long distance (see Fig. 5) to accurately hold the strips aligned on the platen and to maintain the carbon and record strips separated after they pass beyond the platen.

After a writing operation has been completed, the superposed record sheets Illa and transfer sheets ila may be severed from the remainder of the other sheets and appear as shown in Fig. 3. In this condition, the feeding hands it of the record strips may be gripped with the fingers of the one hand while the feeding bands I! of the carbon sheets which project beyond the adjacent edges 30 of the record sheets may be gripped with the fingers of the other hand so that the respectively gripped sheets may be stripped from each other by a spreading movement of the hands gripping the sheets.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 6,

, 7, 8 and 10, the record strips Ill and carbon strips ii may or may not be initially or continuously aligned laterally as desired, for the offset or displacement between the forms on the record strips and the sheets of the carbon strips is in a direction longitudinally of the pile in accordance with the disclosure of my copending application Serial No. 332,063. As shown, the lateral edges 20 and 2! are aligned both in the pack or pad i2a and in the typewriting machine, see Fig. 10. As shown in Fig. 6, both the record strips 10 and transfer strips i I have at each 'side margin feeding bands 23 provided with pin-engaging apertures 24, while, as shown in Fig. 9, the record and transfer strips have at only one side margin and at the same side of the pack apertured feeding bands 25.

As in my copending application aforesaid, the record strips and transfer strips are provided with transverselyextending weakening lines 26 and 21 respectively dividing the strips into form or sheet lengths. In said application, the transverse weakening lines in the record strips were in registry but were not offset relative to the registering transverse weakening lines 21 in the transfer strips so that, after having been written upon and severed from the strips, the resulting set of sheets would have the leading edges of the carbon sheets and record sheets projecting one beyond the other and forming finger grips by means of which the two kinds of sheets would be readily stripped from each other.

This necessitating, when the strips were to be provided in pad or book form, the folding of either the record strip or carbon strip, usually the latter, off the lines of perforations, and this is a more difficult operation to performthan when it is possible to have the lines of perforations in both kinds of strips in registry and constituting the fold line of the pile. According to the present invention, in manufacturing the pack i2a the lines of perforations 26 and 21 are in registry depthwise of the pile, and in this condition the pile is folded back and. forth to form the pack l2a. However, it is desired that the two kinds of strips be offset at the typewriter and that the resulting sheets Illa and Ha be offset for stripping purposes.

Hence, according to the present invention, the operator, after lifting a free stretch 28 of the strips from the pack [2a and in placing them on the typewriter platen. l5, advances the leading edges of one or the other of the different kinds of strips, the carbon strips Ii as shown, and places the strips on the pins ll of the typewriter. In this way the offset relation is maintained throughout the feeding of the entire pack of stationery, and when the operator desires to remove a written set of sheets, this is done by pulling the sheets upwardly, usually from one corner, and causing them to tear along the oflset lines of perforations and produce a set of sheets as shown in Fig. 8, in which the carbon sheets have projecting portions 29 at one end of the. pile free of underlying record sheets while the record sheets have projecting portions 30 at the. other end of the pile free of underlying carbon sheets. When the projecting portions 29 and 30 are gripped as shown in Fig. 8, the separating movement of the operators hands cause the carbon sheets to be stripped from the record sheets.

In advancing the carbon strips relative to the record strips when placing them on the typewriter, the carbon strips il are kept taut as shown in Fig. 10, while the record strips have slack portions 3!. The amount of offset, however, need not be great and this slack portion is distributed throughout the free stretch 28 of the pileof strips and does not result in appreciable or permanent wrinkling of the record strips.

As stated above, it is not essential, according to the present invention, that the arrangement of the apertured feeding bands be as shown herein, or, as disclosed in my copending application,

Serial No. 560,968, filed September 3, 1931, it is not necessary that the entire feeding band project-beyond the adjacent edges of the other strips but it is sufficient if a portion of the feeding bands on the respective kinds of strips projects on opposite sides beyond the'adjacent edges of the other kind of strips in the severed set of strips while the lateraledges of'the two kinds of strips are aligned in the pack, or at least the lateral edges of both kinds of strips are aligned at one side of the pack. p Other variations and modifications may be made within the scope of this invention and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and for which it is desired to obtain Letters-Patent, is:- v

1. A manifolding pack formed of a pile of continuous superposed and interleaved record and transfer strips to be led for use to a typewriter or the like machine having a platen and pin wheel feeding devices, the strips being divided into sheet lengths by transverse lines of severance and the pile being folded on the lines of severance in zigzag fashion to form the pack, the sheet lengths being in registry in the pack, the strips in the part of the pile extending from the pack to the platen being free to be shifted to ofiset the sheet lengths "of the record strips, from those of the transfer strips to provide projecting finger grips on the record and transfer sheets respectively at opposite edges of a set ofsheets severed from the pile along said lines of severance for stripping purposes; and apertured feeding bands on the strips cooperatingwith the pin wheels of the machine with which the pile is used for effecting said offsetting movements in the part of the pile extending from the pack to the pin wheel as the'pile is advanced to the platen from the pack.

2. A pile of superposed and interleaved record and transfer strips, the latter having feeding bands at one side of the pile, the record strips having feeding bands at one side of the pile,

and i out of registry'with'the feeding bands on the transfer strips, the side edges of all of the strips being in substantial registry depthwise of the pile and the strips being free for lateral movement relatively between the record strips and transfer strips to project the lateral edges of one of the said kinds-of strips beyond the adjacent edges of the other said kind to provide finger grips at opposite sides of the pile on the record and transfer strips respectivelyfor stripping purposes.

3. A pile of superposed and interleaved record and transfer strips, the latter having feeding bands at one'side of the pile, the record strips having feeding bands at one side of the pile and out of registry with the feeding bands on the transfer strips, the side-edges of all of the strips at at least one side of the pile being in registry depthwise of the pile and the strips being free for lateral movement relatively between the record strips and the transfer strips to offset their respective aligned edges laterally to form finger grips on the projecting strips for stripping purposes.

4. A pile of superposed and interleaved record and transfer strips, the latter'having feedlngbands at one side only of the pile and the record strips having feeding bands only at the other side of the pile, the side edges of all of the strips being in substantial registry depthwise of the pile and the strips being free for lateral movement relatively between the:record strips and the transfer strips to project the lateral edges .of one of said kinds of strips beyond the adjacent edges of the other. said kind of strips to provide finger grips at opposite sides of the pile on the rec-' rd and transfer strips respectively for stripping purposes.

ARTHURA. JOHNSON. 

